New-York tribune., 1887-05-18
DRIVEN OUT OF THEIRHOMES
STRIKERS EvIorED BY THE COMPANY.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN WITHOUT sHELrER-rHE
NEIGnBoRs DARE NOT HELP THEN.
JBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TaIBUsE.l

| wuvnop.ppV Nav l7-Since April IL the miners
emnIoyed by j. S. Wentz 81 Co., at their Halle Brook
eulieries near Hazeton have been on strike ana On
Saturday the company began the o1ciole eVction oi
the men from their homes. The whole village ana tno
land living around about tor miles are owned Dy the
comnanv Ii will not sell lease a loot OF land to
anv one nor alsw a to build house Tor himself.
Ii compes every empoye IN the mDes 10 rent ioh H.
at from So TO SO Month. The men are forced 10 sign
leases which place them absolutely at The companys
mercy They expressly waive every beneht or proteo
ton which they might have under the laws OF the
state They aeree that the moment they cease to
work for the company they must leave their MONIES,
and can be elected ten days notice ana they iur-
ther have to sign what is termed an amlcable suit OF
electnent" by which the company can at any moment
issue a writ and evict them.
Notices TO omit we're sent round to the strikers some
weeks aqo On Saturday Deputy Sheriff BrocIway,
armed with the writs issued in amioaole suits oil
.ieotment" and backed by body OF coal and IRON
police in the pay OF the company appeared IN me VIZ
lope and began 10 e,ict Six families with al their
Goods and chattos thrown the hillside; they
were the families of Neal Gallagher, Daniel Ni-an,
Patrick Bowen, Barney" Gallagher, Joseph NC
Monire and Patrick Dunayey. Everything the houses
confined was thrown pelmell out OF doors ana WIN
dows The women and children driven out, nj tue
doors locked behind them
Not only were they thus deprived OF home and
elcr but not q soul in the village dare shelter tnem
or tLeir goods The company had given notlce that
any tenant alording shelter to those oVlcteA "9uiu
he bmsclf disDOsgessed. Mrs. DuulaFeY WIS III
he'd when the officers entered the house but she had
To 20 and her bed was put outside after her 10 was
with difficulty that she obtained permission TO stop
over night at a neighbOr's, were The eNc'Jd ten,
ants able TO remoge their goods, for the company had
prohibited any wagon from entering JUS iahus i' tat
purpose and refused TO grant the use OF - own
ioa,ns W ,men and children we're compelled 20 hunt
miles in search of place to sTend the nigl', and
some unable TO obtain SHELTER were forced TO seo) on
the are ground without root or shelter lbelr goods
are lying to-day just a5 they were tbIO"h ouli 'Ho
people beng unable to move them
The strke was the result OF the com, any persist
ent attempts to break up the local district OF tne
Knights OF Labor. Every man Suspected OF tc 'ohgug
TO It was discharged-hs place filled Dy an Ignorant
Hungarian or Pole. Early in Aprl three men we're
di.ciaroed for Il IN reason. The miners took up their
cause and demanded their Reinstatement lhe COM
pa,y psid no attention to tho demand ana inc men
struck They offered 10 arbitrate but the onpahy
refused TO consider anything but unconditional fur-
render 1t hired number OF additional iuht'':'ns
and took out tho coal cut by the miners Del"fe they
struck. charging the laborers time to the strikers;
The company has large stores IN the village ana al
cmployes arc forced to deal with 1t and it on. Not
another store is allowed on the company ground.
and not a travelling merchant or pedler dArc5 set
ioot Oh it, territory. -, -..
ferdov II created intense ndgnaton all through tho
lower end OF the couIty. The local district ot tho
knights of Labor took immediate action IL hted at
torneys, who obtained possession oil the le"ses anu
conln 70 the city 0.daY, entered legal ProoeeIihes
against the company in the court oi common I,eas
to test the legality OF the leases II is probAhe' now
ever that further eecmcnts viii follow, desPe lho
aetian ~ the Knights